KSHARA

Nirukthi of kshara

• The word kshara means that which dissolves, melts, destroys, softens, liquefies etc:-The word kshara means killing it indicate the corrosive action on skin and flesh ie, that which is mordant to the morbific skin or flesh and which destroys the conglomerated dosha. It is there by named 'kshara'.

Definition of kshara

•     Kshara is that which destroys the soft and gentle properties like seetha, snigdha, manda mridu, slakshna etc:-
•     It also destroys the disease. It first produces kshata i.e., hurt or wound. The first hurting effects become beneficial for later healing or curing. Because of the above mentioned nature this specific preparation is named as kshara.

Characteristic features of kshara

•                Kshara has teekshna, ushna guna and is powerful to cauterize(burn with caustic in order to destroy diseased tissue or promote healing). It is effective in gulma, arsas, grahani, pleeharoga, mootra krichra asmari and krimiroga. Kshara is used in vrana chikitsa for pachana and daarana.It will clean and heal deep rooted ulcers like fistula. It is diuretic in character
•                According to susrutha, because of the combination of many plant drugs (during its manufacture) it mitigates the tridoshas, being white colour it is cool through being cool, its action such as burning, ripening, bursting etc:- are not hindered because of the predominance of agney drug(drugs of fergnature) it is pungent, hot(producing heat),penetrates deep, causes ripening, liquification, as healing absorbing (fluids) with holding(stopping) and scarfying destroys worms(bacteria virus ect:-) ama (undigested materials) and kapha cures leprosy (and other skin diseases) poison and fat accumulation (obesity) and if used in excess it even destroys masculinity (sexual power in males)

Generalmethod of preparation

         Kshara is nothing but the ash itself. So first, the plant part form which kshara is to be prepared is cut into pieces after cleaning well. It is dried and burnt to ash. The ash is collected and dissolved in 4 times of water and filtered to remove any unburnt particles or carbon particles. The solution is then evaporated completely to obtain kshaara

              Straining should be done through a cloth folded three times to ensure the complete removal of unburnt particle. The above explained procedure is the common method under natural atmospheric conditions. A second procedure of closed method is also in practice

              I.e. the drugs are cut into small pieces and dried well. The pieces are put in an earthen pot and burnt into ashes. First a few pieces are put and ignited as they burnt more and more pieces are added when all these  pieces are burnt and reduced to ash, the ash is allowed to cool water is also added into the ash in the ratio of 6:2 and mixed well. This is then strained through a piece of cloth. This process of straining may be done two or three times till a clear liquid is obtained. This liquid is then put in an iron or earthern vessel and heated over a moderate fire till the water evaporates leaving a solid salty white substance which is collected. This is known as kshara

Types of kshara

Kshaara can be classified on basis of certain criteria

  1.On the basis of use or prayoga

paneeya kshara(Internal use)  prathisaarani kshara(external use)

• Paneeya kshara

Mild alkaline substances are used in the treatment of diseases affecting stomatch,kidney ect ie,

Disease like Gulma,Asmari and anaha and also in gara(mixed poison).It is in the liquid form and in termed as paneeya kshara.It is  considered  as mild antacid alkali

• Prathisaraneeya kshara

prathisaaraneeya kshara is used in the treatment of vrana,Arbudha,Grahani,Arsa bhagandara,nadeevrana etc the kshaara is applied externally and is included in caustic alkalis

2. on basis of potency (veerya bhedena)

• mridu (mild)
• madhya(moderate)
• Teekshna(highly potent or penetrating)

3. On basis of number (sangya bhedena)      

   i)kshaara dravya

•   svarjika kshaara(sodium carbonate)
•   yava kshara(potassium carbon etc)

   ii) kshaara traya

•  svarjika kshara
•  yava kshara
•  Tankana kshaara.(sodium borate)

(iii)kshaara panchakas

•   Palaasa kshaara(potash-crude potassium carbonate)
•   Misaka kshaara(potash-crude Potassium carbonate)
•   Yava kshaara(potash-crude potassium carbonate)
•   Suvarchila kshaara(potassium nitrate)
•   Tila kshaara(potash)

(iv) kshaara ashtaka

• pakaasa kshara(potash)
• Snuhee kshaara(potash)
• Apaamarga kshaara(potash)
• chincha kshaara(potash)
• Arka kshaara(potash)
• Thila kshaara(potash)
• Yava kshaara(potash)
• Svarjika kshaara(sodium carbonate)

4 On basis of source (labyatha)

• Bhouma kshaara
• Jaliva dravya kshaara
• Kritrima kshaara

preparation of pratisaraneeya kshaara

            A general procedure is not available for pratisaraneeya kshaara but according to the potency. Three different kshaara kalpanas are given the main difference in this is in the potency of say drugs used. All the three types are more penetrating (teekshna) than paneeya kshaara

            The three sources drugs of kshaara(jangama,paarthiva,and audbhida) are collected as per recipe and burnt separately with hay of tila from three types of kshaara thus obtained,the plant origin ash is dissolved in six times of cows urine mixed with equal quantity of water it is strained repeatedly for 21 times and this process the kshaarajala turns cjear red coloured and slimy. It is them poured into an groom versedl and cooked over fire to half of its quantity.Jangama and paarthiva kshaara prepared earlier are now added to the condensed Kshaarajala,in the form of kalka.(kalka is prepared by grinding the kshaara and ingredients of the recipe with kshaaraja) .The contents of the iron vessel is again cooked till it attains lehapaka.ie, thick and viscid with furming bubbles. The vessel is removed from fire at this stage and after cooked down. Transferred to another iron 

Dosage

             Acharya dalhana quotes the dose for prasaraneeya kshara in the arso chikitsa. Kshara should be applied in one, two or three pinches for mridu, madhya and teekshna respectively. Similar measurement is also sufficient and useful in pitta,kapha and vata dosha respectively

For paneeya kshara the dose ranges from 250mg to 1g.

Indication

             Alkali of strong potency should be used in diseased arising from vata, sleshma(kapha) and medas (fat) such as arbuda (cancerous growth ).Alkali of medium potency shall do in those disease when these disease are of moderate strength. The other kind of alkali(alkali of mild potency) should be used in hemorrhoids caused by pitta and arsa(blood).When the alkali loses its water content, some quantity of alkaline solution should be added to strengthen it.

Contra indication

 Cauterization by alkali should not be done for persons such as the debilitated children old aged persons, fearful, suffering from swelling all over the body, enlargement of abdomen, bleeding disease, pregnant lady, women during menstruation, advanced stage of fever, diabetes, injury to the chest (lungs), Emaciation, injury thirst, fainting and other complications, the importance, and yoni (uterus displaced downwards or upwards, so also  implaces such as vital spots, veins, ligaments, joints cartilage, sutures, arteries, throat, umbilicus, nail bed, penis, places with less muscles, eyes and excepting disease of the eyelids

Even those disease which are curable with the use of alkali, in patient who have swelling and pain in the bones heartedness towards, food, pain in the heart and joints alkali will not succeed.